Feeler mechanism for looms



Au 25, 1925. E. A. CUNNIFF FEELER MECHANISM FOR LOOMS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 25, 1924 Aug. 25, 1925.

E. A. CUNNIFF FEELER MECHANISM FOR LOOIIS Filed Sept. 23. 19.24-

! Shgqtgf-Shoot 2 ATTORNE Patented Aug. 25, 1925.

UNITED STATES v 1,5s1,i9i- PATENT caries.

EDWARD A. CUNNIFF, OE WALTHAM, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR T0 DRAPER COR- PORATION, OF HOPEDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

FEELER MECHANISM FOR LO'OMS.

Application filed September 23, 1924. Serial Nox739i328.

To all whom it may concern: A

Be it known that I, EDWARD A. C NNIFF, a citizen of the United States, residing at Waltham, county of Middlesex, and State of h lassachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Feeler Mechanisms for Looms, of which the following description, in con ncction with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to feeler mechanisms for looms and more particularly to the intermittent type of such mechanisms wherein the detecting element is held in an inoperative position during periods of inactivity and is released at intervals to perform its feeling function.

In the use of a feeler mechanism wherein there is a penetrating member adapted to penetrate the filling and be given its feel ing and eXliaustion-indicating movement when the filling reaches a critical period, the recurring contact of the penetrating feeler is liable to cause injury to the filling. This is especially observable in somekinds or characters of filling, such as, for instance, silk or filling of fine count.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a feeler mechanism of the penetrating type wherein the penetrating member is movable to a position beyond the reach of the filling on detecting beats during its periods of inactivity, with the result that all injury liable to occur by reason of the penetrating member contacting with the filling is obviated.

In accordance with thepresent invention, the feeler mechanism comprises an impinging feeler and a penetrating feeler, both of which are held in a frontward inoperative position beyond the reach of the filling during periods of inactivity and are released at intervals during weaving with the same supply of filling in the shuttle.

A further novel feature of the invention consists in means for moving both the penetrating and impinging feelers to a frontward position beyond the reach of the filling on detecting beats.

The invention, new combination of parts, and novel features thereof, will best be made clear from the following description and the accompanying drawings of one good form thereof.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the feeler side of a loom having the present invention associated therewith;

. Fig. 2 is an enlarged 'plan View showing the relation of'parts of the feeler mechanism when, on a detecting beat, the impinging and penetrating feelers are in feeling position and a working supply of filling is present in the shuttle; T

Fig. 3 is a view similar to that of Fig. 2 showing the relation of parts when the filling .is substantiallyexhausted on a detecting beat and the impinging and penetrating feelers are in feeling position; and

Fig. 4: is an enlarged detail view showing the detent mechanismand novel form of means for causing the detent to move the feelers frontwardlybeyond the reach of the filling.

The invention is herein shown and will be described in connection with a loom for replenishing the shuttle with filling when that previously in use has reached a degree ofv substantial exhaustion, but it is to be under stood, of course, that the present invention may be advantageously employed in connection with other forms of filling replenishing mechanism, or indeed,with a stopping mechanism, if desired.

It has not been deemed necessary to illustrate herein the details of the replenishing mechanism, becausethey form no essential part of the present invention.

The loom frame 1 may be of usual construction, having a breast beam 2. Mounted in brackets or supports 3, one at each side of the loom, is the usual transverse or rock shaft 4;, froinwhich rises the arm 5 pivotally connected at 6 with arearwardly en'- tending arm 7,the rear end portion 8 of which is adapted at times to be engaged and moved by an operating member 9 which maybe conveniently formed as a part of or connected to the camfollower. Underlying the arm 7 is a finger 10 extending from the lever 11 pivotally mounted at '12 on the loom frame. The opposite'end of the lever has connected thereto a slotted cam member 13 through which extends the transmitter 14, the construction being such that should the transmitter let be moved frontwardly, it will effect engagement of the arm 7 by the operating member 9 and initiate replenishment of filling or other change in the loom operation.

Extending from the shipper stand is the to which is adjustably secured the :raclzet 16 for the support of the feeler stand -7. in the present instance the feeler stand 7 is secured to the bracket 16 by wll. 3h passes through the slot 19 in the eler stand, whereby the feeler stand may properly adjusted in position.

in accordance with the present invention, an impinging and a penetrating feeler are employed, both of which are mounted for movement toward and from the front of the loom. In the present instance, the impinging feeler is formed by the'rear end portion 20 of a feeler carrier or slide 21 mounted on the feeler stand. Extending frontwardly from the slide 21 is the feeler stem 22, and a spring 23 interposed between the carrier 21 and the front bearing portion '24 of the feeler stand normally impels the slide or carrier rearwardly.

The carrier or slide 21 has a recessed portion 25 in which is mounted a bloclr 26 having secured thereto the penetrating feeler 27, the rear end portion or point 28 of which normally extends beyond or rearward of the impinging feeler 20, the construction being such that should the penetrating feeler be moved frontwardly'relative to the impinging feeler by engagement with the more dense surface "of the filling carrier, the block -26=will be correspondingly moved. and through a train of mechanism to be described, effect replenishment of fillmg.

Pivotally mounted at .29 on the carrier or slide 21 is the actuator 30, the front end portion of which is provided with a tooth or projection 31. The actuator 30 has a laterally projecting portion 32 through which is threaded the screw 33, capable of til adjustment, andheld in adjusted position by a lock screw 34. The pivotal support 29 of the actuator is surrounded by a spring 35 normally tending tomaintain the actuator 30 in its inoperative position, as indicated in Fig. 2. v

Extending upwardly from the block 26 is a lug or projection 36 against which the rear end portion of the adjusting screw 33 normally rests. The feeler stand 17 is provided with a stop 37 against which the actuator 30 normally rests to limit the lateral movement of the actuator 30 under the impulse of the spring 35 and permit lateral movement of the actuator 30 in the opposite direction when the penetrating feeler engages the more dense surface of the filling carrier 'or'bobbin on a detecting beat.

The block 26 carrying the penetrating feeler is normally under the influence of a light spring 38, Fig. 2, which maintains the projection or lug .36 against the rear end of the adjusting screw 33. The tension of the spring 58, however, is less than the tena bolt sion of the spring 85, with the result that when the parts are adjusted relatively in the position indicated in Fig. 2, the projection 36 extending from the block 26 will rest lightly against the adjusting screw 33.

The transmitter 14 may be of usual construction, except that it has mounted there on the projection 39, which may be in the form of a block secured to the transmitter 14 by a screw 40. The block 39 has a hooked portion 41 which is adapted to be engaged by the tooth 31 of the actuator when the actuator is given a lateral movement by the penetrating feelerupon detection of substantial exhaustion of the filling in the shuttle on a detecting beat, as indicated in Fig. 3. When the tooth 81 is thus engaged with the hook 41 and the feeler carrier on which the impinging and penetrating feelers are mounted, is moved frontwardly as the lay beats up, the transmitter 14 will be givena frontward movement, as indicated in Fig. 3, and will act through the lever 11 to actuate replenishment of filling.

The lay 42, Fig. 1, is of usual'construction, and is provided with a shuttle box 43 in which the shuttle 44 is received. The shuttle 44 .has mounted therein the filling carrier '45, of usual construction, and the front wall of the shuttle box and the front wall of the shuttle are each provided with an opening, as indicated in Fig. 1, through which the impinging and penetrating feelers'pass on a detecting beat to detect the condition of the filling in the shuttle.

.As hereinbefore stated, the recurring contact of the penetrating feeler with the filling on detecting beats is liable to cause injury thereto, and such injury may result even though the penetrating feeler contacts only lightly with the filling. In accordance with the present invention, therefore, means are provided for moving both the impinging and penetrating feelers to a frontward inoperative position beyond the reach of the filling on detecting beats, and holding the two feelers in such non-contacting relation with the filling for the periods of inactivity of the feeler. In order that the feelers may act from time to time to detect the condition of the filling in the shuttle, means are further provided for freeing the feelers for movement to the performance of their feeling functions during weaving with the same supply of filling in the shuttle.

Rising from the feeler stand is a bracket 46 on which is pivotally supported a detent or pawl 47 normally under the influence of a spring 48, Fig. 4, tending to move the active end of the detent or pawl 47 into engagement with the feeler stem.

The detent or pawl 47 has a rearward extension 49 to which is pivotally connected at 50 a train of mechanism for controlling the action of the pawl, and consequently may be referred to as a detent controller. in the present instance the detent controller comprises a rod 51 connected to the pin and itself pivotally attached at 52 to a lever 53 pivotally supported at on a bracket 55 extending downwardly from the shipper stand extension 15. lever 53 is connected at 56 to a downwardly extending rod 5'7 which. is pivoted at 58 to a trip lever 59. The trip lever 59 has a. hub portion (30 mounted on the projection or dead shaft 1 extending from the loom frame, and a spring 62 normally tends to turn the trip lever 59 in an upward direction, as shown, againstthe stop 63. From the construction described it will be apparent that should the trip level 59 have its free end depressed from time to time it will actuate the detent or pawl to free the feel ers, as will presently appear, so that the feelers may move to the performance of their feeling functions during periods of activity.

The stem of the feeler carrier or slide 21 has a tooth of novel construction, as in dicated in Fig. 4:, so that should the detent l7 be engaged with the tooth and then be further turned on its pivotal support, it will serveto move the carrier 21 andconsequently both the impinging and penetrating feelers to a further frontward position beyond the reach of the filling on detecting beats.

The tooth 64L, Fig. 4, has a shoulder portion 65 and a locking portion 66, between which is the inclined or cam surface 67, the construction being such that should the impinging and penetrating feelers be moved frontwardly by a working supply of filling on a detecting beat, the detent or pawl l7 will engage the shoulder 65 to retain the feelers in the position to which they have been moved by the filling, and as the detent or pawl t? is further moved onto the tooth (i l by the combined action of the springs L8 and (32, both feelers will be given an additional frontward movement which will carry them beyond the reach of the filling, and when the detent or pawl has engaged the portion 66 of the tooth 64, both feelers will be retained in this frontward git ' position out of cooperative relation with The free end of the p take-up mechanism comprises the usual train of gearing 68, (S9, 70 and 71 which transmits movement to the tal e-up or sand roll, as usual. v

Mounted in suitable bearings 72 and '73 connected to the loom frame is a shaft 74- having a gear 75 in operative engagement with one cf-the gears, such as 69, of the train of take-up mechanism, whereby the shaft 741 is given a slow rotative movement. The shaft 7% carries a dish 76 to which may be secured. one or more trip pins 77, so positioned with respect to the end of the trip lever that the latter may beoperated from time to time. If desired, the disk 76 may be prov'ded with a series of holes 78 for properly adjusting the trip pin or pins to the recurrent periods of desired release for the penetrating and impinging feelers. The end portion of the trip lever 59 is provided with a shoulder 79 which is en gaged by one of the trip pins to release the feelers from their holding relation with the detent or pawl 47, and at the side of the shoulder 79 the trip lever has a surface 80 which serves: to hold the detent orpawl 47 in its position for engagement with the shoulder 65 of the tooth 64 when the two feelers are moved frontwardly by a working supply of filling in the shuttle on a detecting beat, and when the end of the trip lever 59 has been freed by the actuating trip pin, the springs 48 and 62 will act upon the detent or pawl l? and cause it to travel over the cam or inclined portion 67 of the tooth 64L thereby withdrawing the two feelers further frontwardly beyond the reach of the filling, and when the end of the detent or pawl rests in the portion 66 of the tooth 64;, Fig. 4, both feelers will be held in their froutward inoperative position until the trip lever is again actuated. Thus the impinging and penetrating feelers have 'pe riods of activity and inactivity during weaving with the same supply of filling in the shuttle, and when in their inactive position both feelers will be held frontwa-rdly beyond the reach of the filling on detecting beats.

Assuming that the impinging and penetrating feelers are in their rearward feeling position, as indicated in Fig. 2, and a working supply of filling is present in the shuttle, the latter will move the carrier or slide 21 frontwardly as the lay moves up tofrontipositirm on a detecting beat, and

the shoulder 65 of the tooth 64- will be engaged by toe detent or pawl 47. When the trip lever 59 is entirely released from en gagement with the trip pin, the pawl w ll act on the cam. portion of the tooth to move both feelers frontwardly beyond the reach of the filling and will hold them in such position during the period of inactivity of the feelers or until both feelers are again released by the controlling mechanism.

Should the filling have been depleted to a degree approaching substantial exhanstion on a detecting beat when the feelers are in their feeling position, the feeler carrier 21 will not be moved frontwardly sufficiently far to permit the detent or pawl 4L7 to engage the tooth G l, and both feelers will remain in operative feeling position and call for a change of filling when that in the shuttle has become substantially exhausted. In this action, the penetrating feeler will act to move the actuator 30 in a lateral direction to cause the tooth 31 of the actuator to engage the hook ll .associated with the transmitter and will act therethrough to actuate replenishment of the filling when the filling is substantially exhausted. Y

\Vhat is claimed is: 1. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of an impinging and pene trating feeler, a detent for holding both feelers in a frontward inoperative position, and means for freeing the feelers at intervals, comprising a shaft driven from the take-up mechanism, a disk rotating with the shaft and having a trip pin extending therefrom, a trip lever extending in a plane parallel to the face of the disk and adapted to be actuated. by the trip pin, and connections between the trip leverand detent for freeing the feelers from the detent when the trip lever is actuated by the trip pin.

2. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of an impinging feeler, a penetrating feeler normally extending be yond the end of the impinging feeler, a de- I tent and cooperating means including a tooth connected to the impinging feeler and having a holding and cam portion for withdrawing both feelers frontwardly into a position beyond the reach of the filling on detecting beats and holding them in such position during their periods of inactivity, and means for freeing the feelers at intervals that they may move to the performance of their feeling functions during weaving with the same supply of filling in the shuttle.

3; In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of two feelers, one an imping- .ing feeler having a frontwardly extending stem provided with a shoulder and a cam portion and the other a penetrating feeler normally extending beyond the end of the impinging feeler, a carrier on which the feelers are supported, a detent for'engaging the shoulder of the tooth when the feelers are moved frontwardly by a working supply of filling, means for forcing the detent over the cam of the tooth to withdraw the feelers to a position beyond the reach of the filling on detectingvbeats, and means actuated by a going part of the loom for freeing both feelers to the performance of their feeling functions at intervals during weaving with the same supply of filling in the shuttle.

4. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of an impinging and a penetrating feeler, a transmitter adapted to be actuated when the penetrating feeler meets the dense surface of the filling carrier in. the shuttle on a detecting beat, a stem extending frontwardly from the impinging feeler and having a tooth; provided with an upper and a lower holding shoulder anda cam or incline between them, a detent to engage the upper shoulder when the feelers are moved frontwardly by a working supfixed position for engagement with the cam tooth on the feeler stem, a rod connected to the detent for turning the detent in either direction, a leverconnectcd to and for forcibly operating the detent, a second rod connected to the lever, and means operating thrn said rods and levers for forcing'the detent over the cam surface of the tooth to withdraw both feelers frontwardly.

6. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler mounted for movement towards and from the front of the loom, a frontwardly extended part con nected thereto and having a tooth provided with a cam portion, a detent for engaging the tooth when the feeler is moved frontwardly by a working supply of filling on a detecting beat, means acting upon or through the detent to cause the latter to move along the cam of the tooth to with draw the feeler to a frontward position beyond the reach of the filling on detecting beats, and a trip for freeing the detent from the tooth at intervals that the feeler may have periods of activity and inactivity during weaving with the same supply of filling in the shuttle.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name vto this specification.

EDWVARD A. CUNNIFF. 

